Ashok Gehlot launches CM Tourist Udhyog Sambal Yojana 2021 in Rajasthan

On Monday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said his government is working to make the state a top tourist destination. He also stated that the state government is working to strengthen the tourism economy, which has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gehlot was speaking via video conference at a state-level event commemorating World Tourism Day. Rajasthan, he said, has a unique place in the world of tourism because of its beautiful history and legacy, forts, diverse natural wealth, and vibrant folk culture. Rajasthan is developing as a destination for weddings and other events, according to Gehlot, due to strong roads, improved train and aviation networks, improved peace and order conditions, and adequate energy and water supply.

Ashok Gehlot launches Chief Minister Tourist Udhyog Sambal Yojana-2021 in Rajasthan 

The CM stated Rajasthan has a lot of potential for tourism growth, and the state government will do everything it can to promote it. Decisions such as the New Tourism Policy and the development of a Rs 500 crore Tourism Development Fund have been adopted to boost tourism activities, he said. The chief minister also unveiled the 'Rajasthan Tourism Official' smartphone app, which is intended to assist tourists planning trips to the state. He unveiled a compilation of the tourism department's policies, programmes, and recommendations for the state's tourism development. The Chief Minister Tourist Udhyog Sambal Yojana-2021 was launched by Gehlot to help tourism and hospitality entrepreneurs affected by the corona pandemic.

Rajasthan's eco-tourism strategy launched in July 2021

To boost tourism in Rajasthan, the state's eco-tourism strategy was released in July 2021. The policy's mission is to promote ecological conservation in Rajasthan, to encourage and develop unique, high-quality, low-impact ecotourism destinations centred on careful protection of natural and cultural assets, to foster quality educational experiences, and to empower local communities in an environmentally conscious and socially inclusive manner. The policy aims to increase employment, conserve nature and involve local communities and indigenous people to share benefits with them.

The following are the major goals of the Rajasthan Ecotourism Policy:

• Conserve the state of Rajasthan's biodiversity, ecosystems, heritage monuments, culture, and customs.
• Encourage local communities to participate in nature tourism in a way that benefits the local economy and promotes the long-term usage of indigenous materials through commercially viable value chains.
• Allow local communities to decide how their cultural values should be presented by securing their informed agreement and full participation in the planning and management of ecotourism businesses.
• Ensure that all stakeholders are well-informed prior to their engagement by bringing them together on a similar concept of ecotourism.
• Promote ecotourism in a sustainable way using the 12 Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC), which are divided into four categories: sustainable management, socioeconomic implications, cultural impacts, and environmental impacts.
• Reduce the harmful effects of tourism in over-exposed places and redirect traffic to less-travelled locations.

With inputs from PTI

(IMAGE: PTI)